Los Gatos United Competitive Soccer Information Night

LOSMini. GATOS UNITED

Welcome Los Gatos United Competitive Soccer Information Night Agenda • LGUSL Intro – Wendy Riggs, VP of Administration • History & Non-profit status • Organization chart • Comp & Rec Programs Goals • Fields – Matt Lopez, President Elect • Los Gatos Union School District • Union School District • Comp Program – Kelly Gray, President KGS / Nick Hatzke, Dir. Coaching • Mission & Philosophy • Direction of Program • Age Group Curriculum • Marketing Communications – Scott Colgan, Public Relations • League communications (email, website) • Fundraiser Activity & Planning • Team & player management platform • Open Q&A Session ©2017 Los Gatos United Soccer League - Confidential LGUSL Introduction • LGUSL was founded in 1983 • 501c3 non profit organization • Organized and managed by an all-volunteer board – Open Board Positions

President Matt Lopez (elect)

Play Through VP Ops Marketing P/R VP Admin Treasurer Secretary Comp Director Rec Director Program Director Vacant Scott Colgan Wendy Riggs Anne Smets Vacant Mark Peattie Matt Von Der Ahe Chris Davis

Comp Registrar Rec Chief of Referees Webmaster Special Events Bookkeeper Michelle Commissioner AJ Escobar Scott Colgan Vacant Vacant Selincourt Sharon Kirk

Director of Field Scheduler Rec Registrar Coaching AJ Escobar Chris Davis Nick Hatzke

Rec Director of Coaching Matt Von Der Ahe

Age Group Comissioners Vacant

©2017 Los Gatos United Soccer League - Conﬁdential Two Programs: Comp & Rec • Program Goals • Membership of 1,400+ players – Ranging in age from 3 – 17 • Recreation – 950 players – Rely on the support of the community for volunteer coaches and team managers • Comp – 452 players – Kelly Gray Sports (KSG) – Professional coaches – Game day referees

©2017 Los Gatos United Soccer League - Conﬁdential Playing Fields • Co-op of 4 school districts, LG Parks & Rec – LG Union School District – LG & Saratoga High School District – Campbell Union High School District – Union School Districts – Creekside Sports Park • Field approval unique to district • District relationships – Union and Campbell Union Districts – Los Gatos & Saratoga High School – Los Gatos Union • Fisher challenges going forward

• League communications – Email & website • Fundraiser activity & planning – Community focused, monthly – Firenza Pizza • Team & player management platform – TeamSnap – team & player management – Bonzi – player registration & payments

Hi. • 8 Years Playing in MLS I’m Kelly Gray.

Kelly grew up playing for Los Gatos United. The lessons that he learned helped him get a scholarship to play division 1 soccer at University of Portland. It was at this point that his • USSF “A” Coaching License coaching career started under the tutelage of Clive Charles. He was drafted #5 in the 2002 MLS Superdraft to the Chicago Fire. He has also represented the United States at many levels. • 15 Years Coaching Youth Soccer

He has coached for many club teams around the country and has extensive experience working on the sports management side of professional and youth clubs. • 8 Years Managing Organizations Nick Hatzke

Hi. • 2 Years Playing in MLS I’m Nick Hatzke.

Nick grew up in Almaden Valley having played his club soccer for the Almaden FC. He received a scholarship to UC Berkely and was a 4 year starter for the Bears. He was drafted in the • NSCAA National Diploma MLS Superdraft to the Houston Dynamo and won an MLS Cup in 2007.

He started coaching at the youth level while playing for the • 10 Years Coaching Youth Soccer Dynamo and has brought his experience from all of the clubs that he has worked with to Los Gatos United.

• 2 Years Director of Coaching Provide a local competitive environment for development Competitive Soccer Ensure development model based on Goals promoting FUN

We build good people, not just good players. Provide opportunity for players of all abilities to continue their development

Teach skills that beneﬁt not just as a player but as a person Philosophies

Development Multiple Sport Athletes

We believe in developing the whole person, not just a We encourage all of our players to play multiple player. We teach players a love of the game so sports. We believe that there are skills learned in training becomes something that they look forward to other sports that beneﬁt players on the soccer ﬁeld. vs. something they are required to do.

Community Practice Model

We are one club. We are all in this together. We all We believe that each age group is a large team in want what is best for our children. Our staﬀ requests itself. We believe that having all players in an age complete buy in from parents & players in order to group train at the same time and place creates a achieve our goals. unique culture that sets our program apart. Teams

Professional Coaches Team Sizes

All of our coaches are licensed by USSF or NSCAA. All We like to keep our teams at: coaches are interviewed by leadership prior to 11v11 - 16 Players working with any of our players. 9v9 - 14 players 7v7 - 11 players

Scheduling Leagues

Because we require our teams to train as an age Our teams play in either CCSL or NorCal. Both are group practice scheduling is a challenge. Games are competitive leagues that don’t require too much set by the League and times are coordinated by the travel. Both have somewhere between 8-10 games team managers. Everything is dependent on the each season. Each has 5 levels of play. coaches availability. General

Commitment Tournaments

We try to teach our players that when you commit to We like our teams to play in 1 tournament in the something you must see it through. We are Spring and up to 3 tournaments in the Fall. Fees pay reasonable. Try to be at all team events. for 1 tournament up to $500 per team in the Fall season.

Fields Cost

We try to have all of our teams get at least one day a Competitive soccer for the 2018 year will be week on turf. All practice locations are based on our somewhere between $1700 - $2400 per player. coaches availability. Payment plans are available for all. Thank You!

We look forward to helping your players achieve their soccer dreams! OPEN Q&A SESSION

• What is process for scheduling games? (boys 2006) – Had far less games than many other teams. What is process for scheduling games? Not asking for far games, just more in schedule locally. • Lazy approach to coaching and responsibility for attending practice and games. Not asking for more practice, asking for more eﬃcient practice.

• Guest players – Why are paying players underwriting guest players when teams should be better rostered to begin with? • Players lacking skill sets and placed at wrong level (yellow, black, white) – Please address how this will change for 2018 • Players are not developing adequately; how are coaches going to address? – Huge disparity between boys and girls, from ﬁtness to technical abilities, to the practice sessions

• What are the options for families whose kids would like to develop their skills and play with teammates who want to learn and be be challenged, but are worried their kids are too young to focus solely on one sport for the year? – Is there a 6 month competitive program for elementary kids?

• What can be done to address the disparity between teams at the rec level. – Could we discuss other options than only using the evaluation report? • Plans to ensure teams are more balanced in the future. – E.g. GU10 2017 fall league was not well balanced • U-12 comp for people living in Blossom Manor neighborhood (around Blossom Hill Elementary): – Practice ﬁelds & schedule – Game schedule & location

• Would be nice to have hand-me-down tents and chairs for each team.

• Coaches are the ones that make the diﬀerence in a competitive soccer organization. – What is the process in place to ensure there is always a pool of great coaches available?

• Practice schedules – Can thought be given to having the older teams practice at the later times to allow middle and high school students the opportunity to participate in school sports and still attend soccer practices.

• Expectations – Coaches, player/parent communications, attendance at games, guest coaches

• Interested in learning about soccer schedule – level of commitment (can you juggle with other activities/ sports), – amount of travel involved, – costs, – team selection process

• You should have referral program I brought 3 new players to LGU this season 06 Boy, 07 Boy and 05 Girl my son was already playing for 07.

• We practice the least compared to other teams, yet pay the most regarding how many times a week and the calendar year we practice. My two children playing LGU and they don't even begin and end the season at the same time. – 07 Boys started on Aug. 14th and end Nov. 29. 05 Girls started on Aug. 1st and ends Dec 5th • That is a three week diﬀerence for the same club and yet I pay the same coaching ect.

• Not sure if coaches are paid for tournaments but they should be all the other teams do.

• Are there really try outs? • Will there be cuts for players who are clearly not ready for comp? • Will you make it clear to players and parents that no current player is guaranteed a spot on their current team ( yellow, black) There could be movement and parents are not to complain. • Is LGUSL trying to compete with other leagues or are we a developmental league? If both how can this be achieved? • Since everyone trying out for LGUSL makes a team, can there be a developmental team that pay less than the top team? • How can LGUSL continue to oﬀer a rec. program with enough teams if everyone who is willing to pay for comp makes the team?

• Would you consider adding additional practices or scrimmages Mon-Thur at staggered times that would be available for kids of all age groups? – Many kids have so many conﬂicts playing multiple sports. I know that my son hates missing practices but we often cannot make the times our team practices. • What is the playing time philosophy for Comp? • What are the team sizes for Comp? • Why are schedules so hit and miss with comp? – My daughters 2009 team went almost 2 months without a game and they were terrible in the tournament this weekend. It looked like they hadn't played for 2 months.

• How can LGUSL ensure fields are in best condition for games? – I assume district responsible for maintaining fields, cutting grass. • Overview of difference between NorCal and CYSL orgs. • How does LGU align teams? • Is it 7v7 or 9v9 format for U11 in 2018? • What is the number of games, teams & tournaments?